


A cure for psychosis

by NosferatuInAMustache



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, M/M, Maskless Pyro, Mental Instability, Period-Typical Homophobia, Psychopath Medic, Violence, mentions of lobotomy and murder, suicide attempt in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 20:45:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3824497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NosferatuInAMustache/pseuds/NosferatuInAMustache
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"When the mumbling, disguised arsonist had been hired as a 9th member of their team, Medic thought he had found an equal.<br/>And equal who relished in lasting pain, someone who was as easily seduced by carniage and gore as he himself was.<br/>But as he observed this new collegue, he was not an equal, nein...<br/>He was a potential.</p><p>A plan began to form and Medic tried to conceal the gruesom smile from spreading across his face.<br/>He would get that medical breakthrough he had worked for most of his life.<br/>And the first step would preforming a lobotomy"</p>
            </blockquote>





	A cure for psychosis

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in a rush so there hasn't been any spellchecks, sorry guys.  
> As for Medic's dialogue the 'z' replace 'th' and 'v' replace 'w'  
> Some of the subjects in the story may act as triggers to some, but they are tagged, you are hereby warned.
> 
> The model for maskless Pyro is inspired off of Dantet's amazing headcanon:  
> http://dantet.tumblr.com/post/95853333680

When the mumbling, disguised arsonist had been hired as a 9th member of their team, Medic thought he had found an equal.  
And equal who relished in lasting pain, someone who was as easily seduced by carnage and gore as he himself was.  
But as he observed this new colleague, he was not an equal, nein...  
He was a potential.  
  
As a doctor, his trained eyes picked up on every movement, every detail.  
The child like laughter, the careless happiness as, what Medic could assume was 'he', set fire to vulnerable flesh or struck at someone's head and broke their skull like an egg with an axe.  
The Pyro was completely detached from the real world, something severely broken and beyond repair.  
It explained every quirk and every gesture perfectly, down to the way he would gaze out into nothingness and cock his head like someone spoke to him.  
It was utterly fascinating how such a scrambled brain could function.  
  
Many medical professionals could go a full lifetime without encountering a specimen so severe and it made Medic's fingers itch for a scalpel.  
His whole body tensed with excitement as he observed from the other side of the room where Scout and Pyro burst out laughing.  
Somehow Scout had befriended this demented man and Medic could only assume it was because of their similar state of mind, since mentally Pyro was a youngster much like Scout even if  
the arsonist was Scout's senior by a decade.  
Closely looking at their body language, Medic frowned, if he didn't know any better he  would have guessed...  
He had always speculated over Pyro's flamboyant mannerisms and by watching the arsonist interact with Scout made something snap into place like the final piece of a puzzle.  
Pyro was romantically attracted to Scout and would imply that Pyro was devious which would fit the description of a standard psychosis.  
Would these tendencies disappear if his psychosis was cured? It was something to speculate over.  
  
Medic's hands clenched into fists, there was absolutely no chance of convincing Pyro to consent to such an advanced procedure as a lobotomy.  
He had no doubts that even through his delusions, Pyro was well aware what doctors were capable of and most likely had attempted to do to him in the past.  
But that would certainly not stop Medic from trying, even if his methods to get there would be unorthodox and even unethical in the eyes of some. But in the end  
the goal of a medical breakthrough following a successful procedure held a stronger temptation. If he accidentally left the arsonist in a vegetative state Medic would just shoot him and try again.  
  
A plan began to form and Medic tried to conceal the gruesome smile from spreading across his face.  
He would get that medical breakthrough he had worked for most of his life.  
And the first step would preforming a lobotomy.  
  
  
************  
  
The entire day, the Medic had been absorbed by his plan, so much so that he nearly got decapitated twice and almost lost an ear had it not been for the keen eyes of the team Sniper and Heavy's hulking body that protected him like a shield.   
Most of the time, his eyes were transfixed on the Pyro as he jogged circles, stalked him like a beast from a distance, observing, planning and thinking.  
Even when the team won at the very last second, it barely phased Medic as he sat and picked at his food, lost in thought with a frown marring his face.   
Down across the table, Pyro hooked a gloved finger under the rim of his rubber mask and guided the dripping for of spaghetti and sauce under it where only an open mouth would be waiting to engulf it.  
Beside him sat Scout, yet again, bending ridiculously close and trying to peak up under the mask.   
  
Medic raised an eyebrow, could he possibly use Scout as leverage somehow?  
He knew the young man was easily manipulated, but he doubted that Scout was stupid enough to betray a friend, no matter how devious and unstable that one friend might be.  
Medic looked up just in time to see Pyro grabbing another forkfull of his dinner and flicking the food right at Scout's face.  
The sauce and tendrils of pasta his the young man's face with a wet splat while Pyro laughed hysterically, almost dropping his fork as he clapped his hands happily as Scout pulled away trying to look angry as he wiped the sauce and spaghetti off his face even if the corners of his mouth were quivering with the slightest hint of a smile.  
  
It seemed that befriending the Pyro was a key ingredient to getting what he wanted, Medic noted as he returned to picking at his food.  
  
And it wasn't until later that night that Medic decided to make an attempt at his plan.  
The base was quiet except for the silent buzzing of electricity and the distant growl of team mates snoring in their bed rooms, he could only hope that Pyro was still awake.  
Rapping his against the wood of Pyro's door, Medic put his hands behind it back and smiled as he heard the shuffle of footsteps inside before he heard the lock click and the door creaked open.  
Medic was almost a little disappointed that he hadn't caught the arsonist maskless and he made a mental note of making is a goal to also discover what lay behind that dark mask.  
  
Pyro visibly tensed when he noticed Medic, shifting from foot to foot as he clutched that stuffed animal of his.  
The arsonist was covered head to toe in a pink, striped pyjama and his feet were buried in fluffy slippers. The hand clutching the stuffed animal still had a rubber glove on it and the mask was firmly in place on his head, except for a tiny 'v' shape between the rim of Pyro's mask and the first button in his pyjama jacket which revealed a tiny patch of tanned skin.  
  
"Hudduh huh?" the arsonist prompted and Medic could hear unease in the sound of his voice no matter how muffled it was through the mouthpiece.  
Pyro was scared of him.  
Medic was unsure if this was an advantage or a problem.  
  
"Goten aften, Herr Pyro. Might I come in?" Medic said warmly, keeping an open and friendly tone in his voice as he looked at the shorter arsonist over the brim of his glasses.  
Every part of Pyro's body language screamed distrust and suspicion towards him and for a moment the German doctor feared that Pyro would slam the door in his face and scurry off to hide in his bed, but was positively surprised as Pyro nodded and pushed the door further open and took a few steps back to let Medic inside.   
  
With his back turned to Pyro, Medic eyed the room up and down. Pyro had very few belongings except for the occasional empty candy wrapper and a stuffed animal or two.  
His boiler suit was slung over a chair and his purse was sitting on the small desk.  
It was almost pitiful how empty it was.  
  
The arsonist made a nervous sound behind him, and Medic turned, hands falling down to rest at his sides.  
Everyone knew very well by now to never trust anyone with their hands behind their back unless they wished to be stabbed in the back thanks to the team spies.  
When Medic looked back at Pyro, the shorter man had his arms crossed firmly across his chest, clutching the stuffed animal like a lifeline.  
  
"It must be very lonely, zhis life you lead, izn't it Herr Pyro?" Medic spoke softly in a hushed tone, but it what evident that Pyro had heard him because his head snapped up and now the arsonist was staring right at him from behind blacked out glass.   
  
"HUH???" it sounded almost like a bark of confusion.  
  
"Shhh, it'z alright. I have zeen ze vay you look at him, the Scout, you love him, don't you?!"  
  
Pyro let out a squeak, raising his hands defensively, stuffed animal falling to the floor as he shook his head violently.  
  
"You don't have to be afraid, Pyro. I zought I vas ze only one who felt this vay, I zought I vas the only one vho had feelingz for anozer man, but zen you came along und I finally know I am nicht alone"  
Medic said soothingly, making the lie roll off his tongue like honey as he burrowed deeper under Pyro's defences.   
He could see the arsonist's body language shift from defensive to curious as he relaxed slightly as he cocked his head to the side as Pyro usually did as a sign that he was listening.  
The German took it as a sign to continue.  
  
  
"I know all too well how lonely it can be, living zis way, hiding avay from from society like a cowering child. Having feelings zat vill never be returned"  
Medic said softly, voice husky as he took a step closer prompting Pyro to take one step back, but he could tell he still had the other man's full attention.  
Good.  
  
"Because no matter how you might feel, how good of a kamerat he iz to you, vhat do you zink vould happen if Herr Scout vere to ever find out?"  
  
Pyro made a pathetic, little whimpering noise from underneath the rubber of his mask  
  
"He vould be sickened, disgusted by vhat you are. He vould throw you to ze dogs and never speak to you again"  
  
The arsonist frantically shook his head in denial, seemingly refusing to believe what he was hearing.  
  
"No? Ve are talking about Scout here, he haz cracked open a skull for far less.  Deep down, you know it'z true, zomehow you have alvays known. To him, you are nozing but a broken toy to play with at his amusement. To him you are nozing but a broken child-"  
  
The punch came out of nowhere, landing across his mouth with only a layer of rubber to soften the blow. It cracked open his lip and he could taste blood, but it only egged him on.  
Pyro had scrambled away from him and hid in the corner, back turned to Medic as he bumped his head against the wall repeatedly, hands covering his rubber covered ears as he whimpered like a kicked dog.  
A smile tugged at Medic's bruised lip, he had burrowed deeper than he had hoped to reach.  
  
  
"Zhere, zhere Pyro" Medic cooed as he walked closer, placing his hands on Pyro's shoulders and he could feel the vibration of a whole body trembling underneath the ridiculously pink pyjamas "you are not alone mein friend. I care about  vhat is best for you because ze world iz a cruel place for people like us und no one should go zhrough zis by zemselves "  
His thumb stroked at the nape of Pyro's neck in an attempt to sooth. He was intrigued over how easily manipulated a human could be if they were to be fed the correct lies and was more than impressed at how he had managed to rock the arsonist's mind like a boat.  
  
Pyro seemed to accept the touch or was too caught up in a myrad of scattered thoughts to even register it, but Medic was pleased that he didn't shrug it off.  
Feeling bold, Medic leaned in even closer now that he had the arsonist trapped in a corner where it wasn't possible for Pyro to throw punches.  
Medic was so close that he could smell the rubber of Pyro's mask and the scent of soap on his skin underneath his clothes while he listened in to every hitched breath that escaped through the mouthpiece.  
  
"Men are cruel" Medic said, voice barely above a hot whisper "and people like us can't trust anyvan but our own...I-I couldn't bear it to zee you break"  
Suddenly overcome with determination, he placed his lips on the rubber covered skin behind Pyro's ear before pulling away completely.  
  
Pyro turned after him, arms half raised as if reaching out for him before halting mid air only to clench his hands close to his chest as if Medic would break his fingers if he allowed himself to touch.  
  
"Guten nacht, Pyro" he murmured before showing himself out of the room, as he closed the door behind him he could hear light footsteps at the end of the hallway only to see Scout come trotting around the corner.  
He could see the puzzled look on Scout's face as he saw noticed Medic, but they both acknowledged each other with a stiff nod before crossing paths.   
  
When Medic rounded the corner, he flattened himself up against the wall and listened as Scout knocked rather loudly at the door Medic has just exited from.  
  
"Yo, Py?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
  
  
**************************  
  
  
It was only when he was about to close his eyes and go to sleep it was that Scout had remembered that Pyro forgot to give him back his baseball, no matter how good of a pal, the baseball was his and it was sacred.  
Leaving the warmth of his bed, he shrugged into his clothes, nearly splitting his head open on the desk as he hopped around on one leg trying to wrangle the other down into the leghole of his pants.   
He cursed under his breath as he came up one sock short and his dogtags jangled in rhythm with his aggressive movements as he dove down to the floor to look for the sock under the bed only to come back emptyhanded.   
  
Huffing, he toed on his running shoes with one sock on and one missing before stepping out into the hallway.  
  
The base was quiet, eerily so, even as he passed the infirmary. Medic was always up at this time of night, always working on something in there, but tonight the lights were off.  
Shrugging it off as the old man had probably worked himself to death, Scout continued down the hallway before turning the last corner.  
Pyro's room was at the very end of the hallway and somewhat isolated from the rest and Scout just figured that the little guy enjoyed being alone. He came to a halt as he heard a door close followed by heavy footsteps approaching him.  
There was no way they weren't going to notice him when whoever it was walked passed. Looking up, he frowned.  
It was Medic.  
He had an expression on his face that terrified Scout and his lip was swollen and bleeding.  
Frowning, Scout walked closer, begging silently that Medic would not stop him from passing by.  
Fortunately, Medic didn't, and barely even greeted him with a nod in his general direction.  
  
As Medic disappeared around the corner, Scout stopped and looked after him for a second before looking over at where the doctor had come from.  
Had he come from Pyro's room?  
What business did Medic have with Pyro at this time of night if at all?  
  
Feeling uneasy, he knocked on Pyro's door, and his gut wrenched when there was no answer.  
  
"Yo, Py?" he called out.  
Pyro would always answer the door.  
Taking a hold of the doorhandle, he pushed the door open.  
The room was bathed in darkness and the bed was untouched.  
  
"Py?" Scout almost jumped when he heard a quiet whimper from the darkest corner of the room. Stepping further into the room, he could see the hunched over shape of Pyro who sat huddled in the corner.  
  
"There you are, pal! Have you seen my-" Scout stopped as Pyro shrank together, arms covering his head as he whimpered. His shoulders were shaking and the wheezing from the mouthpiece could only suggest that the man was hyperventilating.   
  
"Hey, hey, pal. What's wrong?" he asked, sinking to his knees as he reached for his friend. Pyro jerked away from him as if he tried to become one with the wall and the wheezing intensified.  
Scout didn't know what had happened in here, but it had scared Pyro something bad. He knew that his friend wasn't all good in the head, but this was different.  
This was bad.  
Scout considered calling out for Medic, but decided against it as he recalled the vicious look in Medic's eyes that dug into him like a knif through flesh.  
But one thing he knew, Pyro needed air before he strangled himself in the confined space of his mask.  
  
He reached for the rim of the mask, but Pyro only nestled his head further in between his arms, shaking it from side to side violently.  
  
"I ain't gonna look, alright? Not gonna look, I'm givin' ya scout's honor on dis, but you need air, man" Scout promised, he knew that Pyro was very hesitant to take off his mask in front of anyone, even Scout, so he hoped that the promise of not looking would help.  
  
"Py? Pal-y? I ain't gonna hurt ya, I just wanna help ya, okay?"   
Slowly, Pyro looked up, still shielding himself from Scout with his arm even if he lowered the other. Scout nodded and carefully reached for the rim of the mask that poked out from the top of his pink pyjamas. As promised, Scout averted his eyes as he peeled off the rubber mask up clammy skin. Over his neck, then his cheen. Scout peeled the mask back until it reached the bridge of Pyro's nose before Pyro grabbed him by the wrist to stop him.  
Scout let go without looking, before sitting close to Pyro, but keeping his eyes fixed on the door that was slightly ajar while Pyro coughed, wheezed and gasped for air.  
  
The arsonist fell forward onto his hands and knees, the arch of his back convulsing with each ragged breath while pearls of water dripped out from under the gap in his mask around his nose.  
Scout slowly reached out and carefully started to run a hand over Pyro's back at loss of what to do.  
  
"Scout?!" the words came so suddenly that Scout questioned if he had imagined it "Please! Please, make it stop"  
It took him several seconds to realise Pyro was talking to him between panicked breaths.   
  
  
"Please, Scout! I need help"


End file.
